Stilts 7

“Stilts 7” / Kiunga, Western Province, Papua New Guinea / June 2013: The space below the house on stilts is utilized for various uses, including for hanging laundry, for cooking, and other family activities.

It was in September 2011 when I started the Stilts series which featured houses elevated on unusually high posts. The colored photos I posted back then were those taken along the banks of the Fly River in Kiunga, Western Province, PNG (see links below). Understandably, because of the frequent flooding of the mighty Fly River, houses along its banks have to be elevated to prevent the muddy waters from seeping into the dwelling’s floors.

The muddy road to the upland village in Western Province

Apparently, this is not the only reason for building houses on stilts. During my visit to Western Province in June 2013, we went to an upland village which is obviously not in danger of getting flooded but, there, the houses were also built on very high stilts. In these areas, the main reason for building elevated houses is quite different. Villages are located in the midst of tropical jungles and thus it’s safer to sleep on floors situated high above the ground. The other practical reason of course is work and storage space. The dry area below the sleeping quarters provides a perfect space for cooking and doing other chores, for storing supplies and materials, and, as far as the kids are concerned, for horsing around during monsoon months. I have decided to use sepia for this segment of the stilts series because I feel that these images, even if they were taken just recently, appear to be a throwback to more primitive times.

Jessie Ponce

The drag of endless mental work in a strange land takes its toll. Fatigue can kill so petty escapades provide hopeful deviations from the brewing madness. An aging DSLR keeps good company to a walk around the neighbourhood, a short drive to a scenic place, or a silent recollection in a quiet nook granting that the host community and the elements of nature would allow one a safe passage to solitude and contemplation. Loneliness quickly turns to joy when something exciting gets captured by the cam’s shutter then set free into the laptop’s screen followed by electric words that rush from the fingers to the keyboard in an effort to describe the moment. Alas, the brain is alive once again!

Follow A Traveller's Tale

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Search Other Posts by Shutter Bug

Shutter Bug’s Photo Essays

Under the big sky are the Mongolian steppes. Only the distant mountains challenge its rule over an almost infinite space.

Travel with Shutter Bug

Landscapes by Shutter Bug

Stream of Life

Seascapes by Shutter Bug

"Fishing Boats": Donors worked overtime to support survivors in recovering their livelihoods. These recently distributed fishing boats sit on what used to be a residential area by the seaside.

Churches by Shutter Bug

Early Morning at Metekhi, Tbilisi, Georgia

Still Life by Shutter Bug

T'nalak and T'boli handicrafts on display

Portraits by Shutter Bug

B&W / Sepia Images by Shutter Bug

"Ripple"

Shutter Bug’s Tropical Fruits & Flowers

Copyright

All the photos used in this blog are original and copyright Jessie T. Ponce. While sharing and making reference to my blog posts are encouraged; the photos may not be copied or used independently of the blog without the expressed permission from the author. Thank you for respecting intellectual property.

Visitors (not up to date)

Awards

A Traveller's Tale has been nominated for various awards. The blog author, Shutter Bug, wishes to thank all the fellow bloggers who continue to support this site. Your likes, votes, comments and award nominations are what make this blog successful. THANK YOU!